POLICE are ordering teenagers out of Birmingham city centre at night to help protect one of the city's most impressive Grade One listed buildings.

Officers have introduced 'curfew-style' dispersal powers from the Anti-Social Behaviour Act to fight persistent problems around St Philip's Cathedral and other city centre locations.

The latest powers to "remove under-16s to their place of residence for up to 24 hours" were introduced into the area in December to target young troublemakers who are in the city after 9pm. Birmingham's Grade One listed cathedral, in St Philips Square, has suffered most in the last two years and has been subject to a number of vandalism attacks.

Some of the important monuments inside the grounds - including a memorial to the victims of the Birmingham pub bombings and graves that are more than 100 years old - have been damaged.

Dean of Birmingham Cathedral, the Very Rev Bob Wilkes, said: "This was a particularly big issue during the summer of 2006 and 2007.

"The police have been very proactive by using the anti social behaviour dispersal powers and we are very pleased with the way the situation has been managed and improved.

"I think it is very important to make the distinction between the minority of young trouble-makers and the vast majority of young people who are no problem at all.

"We have large numbers of young people congregating during the daytime at weekends here and they enjoy the area and are no problem at all.

"We must not just divide off a whole section of society, we should talk with them and tackle the problems that lead to groups congregating where they feel they have nowhere else to go at these ages.

"When there has been crime it has not been high-level crime, it has been more about under-age drinking, vandalism and graffiti.

"There are plenty of people over the age of 16 who are capable of, and do also cause, trouble.

"But the majority of people, young and old, respect the area and we are very keen to keep it as a place that everybody can enjoy and use as a place to gather, pray and respect."

A West Midlands Police spokesman said: "The city neighbourhood police team has been targeting young troublemakers in this area for a while.

"There has been damage to the cathedral and these powers allow officers to target young people who are in the area after 9pm."